Just because the New England Patriots were enjoying a bye week doesn’t mean what occurred around the NFL in Week 10 didn’t impact the team.
The New England Patriots had some time to recover from their 37-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and also time to get healthy.
Tom Brady and crew have their work cut out for them as they enter a stretch in the season where they face playoff contending teams including their Week 11 battle against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Super Bowl LII rematch will really tell what kind of team the Patriots are. Are they the team that dominated defensively through the Week 10 or are they the team that showed kinks in their armor in their loss to Lamar Jackson the Ravens.
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With an 8-1 record, the latter would appear to be the overreaction, but the teams coming up on their schedule will certainly test the Patriots run defense.
In all, Bill Belichick has definitely focused on some of the defensive kinks while offensively, Tom Brady and company will have more time to get newly acquired wide receiver Mohamed Sanu more into the mix and work on stabilizing the offensive line and getting Sony Michel and their own running game going.
This is the time of season Patriots fans get pumped up for and it’s also the time in the season where it’s time to scoreboard watch and pay attention to what’s going on around the NFL in how it impacts the defending Super Bowl champions.
With the New England Patriots off in Week 10, here are 5 takeaways from the happenings around the NFL.
49ers fall to the Seahawks
Let’s start with the last game of the week.
In the Monday Night Football showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, some former New England Patriots players took center stage.
Of course, Jimmy Garoppolo was under center for the 49ers. In the 27-24 overtime loss, Garoppolo throw for 248 yards, a touchdown and interception as his team took their first loss of the season.
But, for the Seahawks, former Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon made a couple of huge catches that helped moved the chains. However, the player that has most fans talking is the play of tight end Jacob Hollister.
While the former Patriots tight end could barely stay on the field while in New England, he is making the most of his opportunity with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks.
In Monday night’s game, he caught 8 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown marking three total touchdowns in the last two weeks.
https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1194094563411087363
Oh, how the New England Patriots would love that kind of production from the tight end position this season.
And to think, they basically gave him away to Seattle for nothing.
Here comes the Steelers
Well, it appeared the Pittsburgh Steelers were left for dead this season after their Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots.
It really wasn’t that they loss, it was how they loss and how they started the season that had them counted out early in the season. Add to the fact that they lost Ben Roethlisberger and it seemed all hope was gone for Steelers Nation.
But, suddenly at 5-4 following a 17-12 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, the Steelers are making a playoff run and are getting it done defensively.
In fact, that Pittsburgh defense is ballin’ after acquiring defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Miami Dolphins.
A good luck charm?
Perhaps as the Steelers were 1-4 prior to the deal.
While the offense is nothing to shutter about with young quarterback Mason Rudolph leading the way, the New England Patriots just may see the Pittsburgh Steelers again in the playoffs afterall.
Instead of potentially in the AFC Champions, the matchup may come sooner if the Steelers can nab a wild card spot.
Any given Sunday
Who said the Miami Dolphins were tanking?
Not only did they go on the road and upset the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, they have the AFC South contenders now searching for answers.
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Another potential playoff foe for the New England Patriots, the Colts are not looking great offensively and part of that is due to the injury of old friend Jacoby Brissett.
With another Patriots backup quarterback now at the helm in Brian Hoyer, the offensive playmakers for the Colts are scratching their heads as to what is going on.
In barely slipping past the Denver Broncos three weeks ago, the Colts have lost two consecutive games and are looking pretty desperate to get a win before they fall out of playoff contention.
Defensively, they seem fine.
Offensively, they can’t seem to muster enough offense to beat the teams they are supposed to beat.
“You can’t explain it,” Colts tight end Eric Ebron said following Sunday’s loss, via ESPN. “You have to beat the teams you are supposed to beat, and you have to beat the teams that people say you can beat. At least, that’s how you stay relevant in this league. We didn’t beat a team that we were supposed to beat today.”
With the Jacksonville Jaguars next on the schedule, the Indianapolis Colts need to get it figured out quickly. They also need former Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett to get healthy quick.
Who would’ve thought how important that trade was prior to Andrew Luck suddenly calling it quits.
Down goes the Chiefs
With Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens destroying the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, New England Patriots fans had to love the Kansas City Chiefs going down to the Tennessee Titans.
Patrick Mahomes II was back and looking good, throwing for 446 yards and 3 touchdowns, it appeared the Chiefs were ready to roll through the rest of the season.
The Titans had different plans as Ryan Tannehill of all quarterbacks mounted a comeback by leading Tennessee on a 61-yard drive on four plays to complete the stunning victory.
Talk about the Patriots defense being carved up by the Ravens, the Chiefs defense had their own problem on Sunday as Titans running back Derrick Henry logged 188 yards on the ground for two touchdowns.
The loss dropped the Chiefs to 6-4 on the season and barely holding off the Oakland Raiders for the AFC West title. It also pretty much takes Kansas City out of the running for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
In all, the New England Patriots won in the standings without even playing a game.
The two teams square off in a few weeks. By then, Patrick Mahomes II and the Kansas City Chiefs could be fighting for their playoff lives.
Bills find a way to lose
The Buffalo Bills had a chance to make things really interesting for the New England Patriots in the AFC East had they held on to defeat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
A win would’ve catapulted the Bills to 7-2 and they would’ve remained just a game behind the Patriots. Furthermore, a loss by the Patriots to the Philadelphia Eagles would’ve given Buffalo a chance to tie for the division lead.
But you really didn’t think the Bills would take advantage of that opportunity, did you?
As the 19-16 loss showcased, the defense for Buffalo is legit, but the offense is nothing to write home about.
Well, the defense was legit until Baker Mayfield and the Browns were able to drive down for the winning score.
In another game New England Patriots fans had to enjoy watching play out, the Buffalo Bills left the game as still a strong playoff contender but have given their AFC East rivals a little breathing room in the standings.